Martinez Refinery Reports Flaring After 'Operational Incident'

MARTINEZ, CA — The Martinez Refining Company posted an update Wednesday night regarding flaring that took place at its refinery on Pacheco Boulevard in Martinez.

An "operational incident" happened at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday which led to flaring that was visible offsite, the refinery said on its website and on social media.

"In following our procedures, appropriate agencies were notified, and we promptly issued a Community Warning System Level 1 notification," the refinery said. "We have been maintaining clean combustion during the flaring, and ground-level air monitoring has shown normal measurements."

Intermittent flaring was expected to continue while employees worked to address the issues, the refinery said Wednesday night.

Class-Action Lawsuit Alleges 'Public Nuisance'

The flaring comes just one day after a proposed class-action lawsuit was filed against the Martinez Refining Company, alleging that it has created a "public nuisance" by releasing chemicals into the surrounding community.

The plaintiffs are being represented by Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP, which released a statement Wednesday night about the flaring.

"We filed our lawsuit to stop repeated releases of unnecessary pollution from this refinery," wrote Blair Kittle, lead attorney at the firm. "Hearing that the refinery is flaring just a day after we filed is extremely concerning and highlights the need for the county and state to step in immediately and take control of the refinery."

Kittle further added that the FBI has allegedly been investigating the refinery "for months."

"If the county or state can't do anything about this, the Feds will," he wrote.

On Thanksgiving night in 2022, the refinery released an estimated 20 to 24 tons of "spent catalyst" into the surrounding community until the following morning, when residents found their yards and vehicles covered in metallic dust. The refinery failed to alert the county health department and the community warning system, both of which are legally mandated within 15 minutes of a release.

The Martinez Refining Company on Wednesday night said community members can view its air monitoring website— Fenceline.org/martinez/— for real-time measurements.

"Flares are an essential part of a refinery’s integrated, engineered safety systems, designed to safely manage excess gases through efficient, effective combustion. You can learn more about flaring on our website: Martinezrefiningcompany.com/about-flaring/."

"We apologize for any inconvenience to our neighbors and thank our employees for their professional response," the refinery said.

The community inquiry phone number to the refinery is 925-313-3777; during off-work hours, the number to call is 925-313-3601.

— Bay City News Service conributed to this report.